A 2‑1 D.C. Circuit panel ordered a pause on the $400 million White House ballroom project, ruling that Congress must authorize any above‑ground construction. The decision stays in effect for two weeks, giving the administration time to seek a Supreme Court review, which President Trump has pledged to pursue.
The court upheld a March injunction by Judge Richard J. Leon, finding the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s lawsuit valid. It barred above‑ground work while allowing underground security facilities to continue. Trump asserts the ballroom will be privately funded by donors such as Amazon and Lockheed Martin, yet the administration asked Congress for $1 billion and $350 million may have been redirected from a tax‑cut law.
The ruling preserves congressional control over major alterations to the White House, halting any further visible construction until legislative approval is secured. The pause extends the legal battle, keeping the project in limbo and highlighting the limits of executive authority in federally owned historic sites.
Trump and his supporters contend the ballroom serves essential national‑security functions and can proceed without congressional consent, citing dissenting Judge Neomi Rao’s view that the trust lacks standing. The majority opinion rejects that argument, emphasizing that executive self‑help is prohibited and that only Congress may authorize such a transformation.